Improved flexible tube or hose



.Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful UNITED STATES DAVID K.HOXSIE AND THOMAS PATENT OFFICE.

I.. EEED, or PROVIDENCE, E. I.

y IMPROVED FLEXIBLE TUBE OR. HOSE.

` Speciiicationforming part of Letters Patent N0. 44,1125, datedSeptember 527, 1864.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, DAVID K. HoXsIE and THoMAs L. REED, both ofProvidence, in the. county of Providence and State ot' Improvement inFlexible Tubing or Hose for the Conveyance of Gas. Water, &c.; and we dohereby declare the following specification to bea full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, making part of such specification, in whichlFiture lrepresents a section of our improved tubing or hose; and Fig. 2represents an improved apparatus which is designed to be used in theapplication of our improvement to tubing. hose, Src.

Our improvement consists in the use of ani mal intestines properlyprepared and applied as an impervious sheath or covering in theformation of flexible tubing or hose.

Considerable ditticulty has hitherto been experienced in making anarticle of flexible tubing that would be impervious, particularly toillnminatinggas. 'for the reason that. the n tphtha. which is depositedby condensat on lrom such gas softens and tlissoves india rubber(caoutchouc) and such gums, glutinous materials, and compounds as havebeen heretofore employed in the manufacture of tubing to make it.impervious. and this diiiiculty, it is believed, is etiectually removedby the improved sheath or covering mentioned.

To enable others skilled inthe art to make and use our invention, wewill proceedV to de scribe the same.

n Fig. l of the said drawings, A repre sens a seetion ot' tubing whichis i'ormed of a spiral wire coil, overl which is a covering ol braidedcotton, whichis stuied and covered with black enamel varnish to renderthe cotton'covering impervious to gas. This enamel varnish soon softensand dissolves by the action of thenaphtha before referred to and causesthe tube to leak gas, and in order to prevent such leakage we draw overthe said coating' of varnish one or more intestines, one over the other,each being moist and suple when it is drawn upon the tube, and eachbeing allowed to dry before drawing on another. In drying, theintestines shrink snugly and smoothly upon the surface of the tubing andupon each other, and furnish an impervious sheath or covering tothe'same. The best intestines for this purpose are those of lambs, whichare of about the right size and free from kernels and otherimperfections. The intestines are prepared by removing the refusePlatter, washingclean, and, it' not needed for immediate use, they maybe packed in tine dry salt. 'A solution composed ot' one pound of alum,one halfl pound ot' salt, dissolved in two quarts ot' water. in whichthe intestines lare to be soaked, will cleanse them and give themadditional strength.

The intestines may, however, be more perfectly prepared or cured by thefollowing solution: Peruvian bark, one ounce; oak bark, one ounce;wolmwnod. one ounce; gentian root, one ounce; tobacco, one ounce; water,two pounds.

Steep the ingredients in the water and add one ounce ot'ialum to thesolution. Atter the intestines have been properly cleansed tlny may beplaced in this solution and there 1eniain uinil required tor use.

As a convenience for drawing the intestines upon the tubing the metaltule G. Fig. 2, may be used, the intestines being taken 1r( In thesolution and drawn upon the said tube, when. by passing the tubing Athrough the tube G and seizing' both the intestine and the protnding endoi the tubing with the hand, the latteris drawn through the tube,drawing the intestine trom the exterior of said tube upon the tubing.

lt is better to use two or three layers or coverings oi' intestines, oneover the other, so that in case one'ot' the coverings is punctuied itmay be covered and protected by succeeding ones.

The intestines may be covertd to form a iinish by braiding thereoncotton, silk, or worsted, or this braided covering may be var nished orstuft'ed with boiled linseed-oil to form a tinished coating, orotherwise, as may

